Cap



Aug. 10, 1965 A. R. PRICE 3, 99,7 6

CAP

Filed June 11, 1962 HIIHIIHHIIIIHH IIHIIIIHHHIIIIIII IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,199,716 CAP Albert R. Price, Sullivan, iii, assignor to Community Industries, Ltd, a corporation of Illinois Filed lune 11, 1962, Ser. No. 201,540 1 Claim. (Cl. 22li-44) This invention relates to tank caps and more particularly to gas tank caps for use under adverse conditions normally tending to block or restrict ventilating ports of such caps.

it is often desirable or even necessary to expose caps for tanks, e.g. gasoline tank caps, to adverse conditions which may cause blocking or restricting of ventilating ports provided in such caps Whether on storage tanks or as a component part of an equipment so exposed. For example, in recent years small gasoline engines, provided with capped gasoline tanks, have been put to mass use in a variety of applications and especially for driving equipment designed for use by an individual for plowing snow,

tilling gardens, mixing cement and/or other such uses which have become normally associated with the household. Thus, small internal combustion engines, operating on gasoline and like normally liquid fuels contained within gas tanks, are exposed to conditions where ventilating ports in the caps of such tanks may readily become clogged by snow, mud, mixed cement and like materials. It is important to prevent such obstruction of gas tank cap vents.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and useful tank cap or gas cap having means shielding the ventilating port.

it is another object of this invention to provide a tank cap which has a top ventilating port and a shield over the port, the lower surface of the shield being secured to the top surface of the tank cap, with the shield means and top surface of the cap defining one or more conduits therebetween through which air may pass between the port and the lateral exterior of the cap.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a gas tank cap having a ventilating opening adjacent the center of the top wall with a shield plate secured thereover, which shield plate, in combination with the top of the gas tank cap, defines a plurality of radial channels therebetween and in which the axis of the radial channels is in substantial alignment over the ventilating opening providing confined air communication of the ventilating opening laterally.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a cap having a casing secured within the cap beneath the ventilating port or opening and in air communication with the opening, which casing includes a tortuous passage from the port therebelow providing surfaces for deposition of dust particles entering the port. It is a further object to provide a tank cap as above in which the top surface of the tank cap to which the shield is secured is configurated to slope downwardly away from the ventilating port or opening.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent to those in the art from the following descriptions and the drawings in which:

PEG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of the tank cap of this invention in position on a gas tank;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the gas cap embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the gas cap embodiment of PEG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along lines 4-4 in 5 is a vertical section taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 6 is a top view of another gas cap embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a top view of still another gas cap embodiment.

In one embodiment of this invention, there is provided a gas tank cap which is usually round and has been adapted in accordance herewith to prevent the blocking of the ventilating port by accumulation of snow and the like thereon. The cap has a circular top wall with an interiorly threaded cylindrical side Wall extending downwardly therefrom at the periphery of the top wall. On the exterior of the side wall there is included a means for gripping the cap to turn the cap in engagement with cooperating threads of a threaded lip, flange, pipe stub or the like, defining a gas tank opening. The ventilating port in the top wall of the gas cap is adjacent the axis of the top wall. The top wall has a wide angle conical outer surface sloping radially downwardly from the ventilating port to the periphery of the top wall. Secured to the upper surface of the top wall by its lower surface, e.g. by means of spot welds, is a circular shield which has a plurality of radial impressions or channels in its lower surface. The channels and the conical top surface of the cap define a plurality of air conduits, each of which communicates with the ventilating port and provides air communication from the port laterally to the exterior. The shield means prevents the accumulation of snow and the like on the ventilating port and thereby serves to maintain free passage of air through the port.

Referring now to the figures in the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the cap of this invention indicated at 1%, having thereon ventilating port shield 12, with the cap threaded in position on an inlet to tank 11, e.g. gas tank for containing gasoline.

The embodiment of the gas cap shown in FIG. 1 is further illustrated with reference to FIGS. 2 through 5. Cap 10 has a top wall 13, including top surface 13a of the top wall, and a side wall 14. Top surface 13a is preferably conical so that any condensation forming thereon or other foreign matter thereon may more freely drain from the surface. Side wall 14 has interior threads 15 for threading the cap to a projection having cooperating threads. Gripping surface 16 is provided on the exterior of side wall 14 to enable a fastening grip on the cap for turning the same in engagement with cooperating threads. In top Wall 13 of cap 18 there is provided a ventilating port or opening 17 at the apex of conical surface 13a. Ventilating port shield 12 is spot welded, indicated by reference numeral 2% in FIGS. 2 and 5 through 7, to the top surface 13a. Conduits 21a, 21b and 210 are formed by top surface 13a and radial impressions 22a, 22b and 220 in the bottom or lower surface 12a of shield 12. Conduits 21a, b and c communicate laterally from ventilating port 17 to the exterior adjacent the side of the cap. Shield 12 is axially aligned on cap 10 with the axis of the radial impressions 22a through c aligned above the ventilating port 17 in the center of circular top wall 13 at the apex of conical surface 13a. Conduits 21a through c intersect adjacent the port 17 to form an intersection chamber indicated at 21. Thus, communication from port 17 is effected through chamber 21 and in one or more of conduits 21a through c laterally to the exterior at the periphery of top surface 13a. Of course, it is not necessary that the axis of radial conduits 22a through c be vertically aligned with port 17 but it is preferred that the axis be adjacent port 17 and that port 17 be contained within the area of interconnection of the radial conduits.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, additional embodi ments of the shield means are illustrated. In FIG. 6, shield 12 is provided with four radial channels 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d, each defining a conduit thereunder between shield 12 and the top surface 13a of cap 10. The four conduits thereby defined provide air communication of port 17 with exterior at the periphery of cap and shield 12. In like manner, channels indicated in FIG. 7 by reference numerals 42a through 42d define radial conduits thereunder, each communicating port 17 with the exterior periphery of the cap.

It is apparent from the description herein that the shield, in the embodiments described, functions to protect ventilating port 17 from obstruction of snow and other foreign materials.

Returning now to FIG. 4, dust trap assembly 50 is supported within cap 10 and carried by gasket 51 which is of a stiff material and is force-fitted within the cap against the inside of side wall 14. The supporting and carrying of the dust trap assembly 50 is by superpositioning of flange 52 of casing 53 extending over gasket 51. Casing 53 has an opening 54 in its lower wall. Partition member 55 is secured within casing 53 and extends across the flow area within casing 53, thereby obstructing fiow of air between port 17 and opening 54. Opening 56 is provided 'in partition member 55 to permit free air communication from port 17 through opening 56 to opening 54. The internal surfaces of casing 53 and the surfaces of partition member 55, which will usually acquire a thin layer of oil and/or condensed heavy ends of gasoline, function as a surface for adherence and entrapment of dust particles within the dust trap assembly, thereby inhibiting introduction of such dust particles into a tank covered by the cap. These surfaces within assembly 50 may be sufficiently cool to additionally provide condensing surfaces for condensation of water vapors included in any air entering port 17. Additionally the internal surfaces of the conduits, e.g. 210 through 210, may also function to trap dust and the like.

It is evident from the foregoing that I have provided a new and useful tank cap having a ventilating port and a shield over the port for protection of the port from foreign matter.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom. Some modification should be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

A round gas tank cap adapted to prevent the blocking of the ventilating port by accumulation of snow and the like thereon, which cap comprises a circular top wall with an interiorly threaded cylindrical side wall extending downwardly at the periphery thereof, grippable means on the exterior of said side wall for turning said cap in engagement with cooperating threads of a threaded lip around a gas tank opening, a ventilating port in said top wall adjacent the axis of said top wall, said top wall defining a conical outer top surface sloping radially downwardly from the ventilating port to the top wall periphery, a circular gasket force fitted within said side wall and adjacent said top wall within the cap, an opening through said gasket, said gasket carrying a dust trap assembly defining a passage from said vent opening through said gasket within said cap, and a circular shield having a plurality of radial impressions on its lower surface, said lower surface being spot welded to said conical outer top surface, said impressions and conical outer top surface defining a plurality of air conduits intercommunicating with the ventilating port adjacent the axis of the top wall and providing air communication of said vent port laterally and down said conical outer top surface, said shield protecting said top wall atsaid port from accumulation of snow and the like thereby maintaining free passage of air through said port.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,023,924 3/62 Boyer 220-44 3,064,668 11/62 Alkire 22042 472,319 3/51 Canada.

1,194,727 5/59 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

V Examiners. 

